Australia firefighters battle deadly inferno

Update:
November, 26/2015 - 12:18

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ADELAIDE — Hundreds of firefightersbattled a devastating "Armageddon-like" blaze for a second day in Australia on Thursday that has left two dead and at least 13 in hospital, with grave fearsthe death toll will rise.

Cooler conditions and lighter winds aided crews as dawn broke with thebushfire not increasing in size, although South Australia state Premier JayWeatherill said it would be days before it was fully brought under control.

"Even though a significant proportion of the fire perimeter is undercontrol and the conditions were milder overnight, many fire fronts are stillactive within the fire grounds and they'll continue to be battled for somedays," he said.

The premier late on Wednesday said two people had died in the inferno aroundthe town of Pinery, some 70 kilometresnorth of Adelaide.

Unconfirmed reports said three people were missing.

"Obviously we have had the awful news of the tragic death of at least twopeople and we hold grave fears for many more," Weatherill said.

"We can't be entirely sure that we have identified every single personwithin the fire ground. That work will continue this morning as we carry out amore detailed search of the fire area."

He added that 13 people were in hospital with five in either a critical orserious condition with significant burns. South Australia Health later tweetedthat they had taken 15 people to hospital for burns, smoke inhalation and minorinjuries.

"We know that one of those people has burns to more than 80 per cent oftheir body. Their condition is being closely monitored. But we do hold graveconcerns for them," said Weatherill.

The blaze incinerated at least 16 homes, as well as outbuildings, farmmachinery and vehicles as it raged across a 40-kilometre front, driven bystrong, swirling winds late on Wednesday, he added.

Livestock was also lost with reports that thousands of chickens and pigswere killed.

Nothing left

Country Fire Service chief officer Greg Nettleton said it might still beearly in the fire season but the land in South Australia was incredibly dry andonly long, soaking rain would cut the fire risk.

"Until we get really substantial rainfall across the state, we're in adangerous fire situation for the summer," he said.

Brendan Moten described how the sky darkened with ash as he fled his ruralproperty and sought safety in the town of Kapunda as the fire raged around himand his family.

"A lot of people were gathered in the main street and there was smoke andash and it was Armageddon for a while," he told reporters.

The fire has hit rural communities in the area hard with around 90,000 ha of land destroyed and crops ruined.